NEW ORLEANS — It’s a simple kit that the New Orleans Police Department wants every gun owner to have.
“This is a basic cable lock and it’s just strung through the weapon,” said Sergeant Shannon Brewer as she holds up a cable lock device. “It keeps the weapon from accidently going off, getting into the wrong hands as well.”
Brewer says those wrong hands can belong to kids. That’s what happened Monday night, when police say high school freshman Tyler Ellis, 15, was accidently shot inside his St. Roch home by another 15-year-old boy. He was arrested Tuesday night and charged with negligent homicide.
“Of course, this is a tragic incident that we’ve seen in our city,” said Brewer.
It’s also the second tragic incident in about two weeks. A classmate of Ellis, Kennedi Belton, 15, was accidently shot and killed during a sleepover in late January. A 19-year-old man was arrested in that case and also charged with negligent homicide.
“We know that it’s not just here in New Orleans. This is nationwide,” said Brewer.
According to court records the gun connected to Belton’s death was an untraceable ghost gun, which is commonly put together with parts bought online. Police haven’t said where the gun came from in Ellis’ case. Regardless, Brewer says conversations need to happen.
“Talking to your kids, one, about that gun is not a toy. If you see a weapon stop immediately what you’re doing, get away from it, talk to an adult about it,” said Brewer.
“I believe it was really tragic what happened to them both,” said Dominique Butler with the New Orleans Youth Alliance.
Butler says guns have an everyday impact in the community.
“In 2020, Everytown for Gun Safety reported that the leading cause of death for young people in Louisiana is gun violence unfortunately, is firearms,” said Butler.
Working with youth advocacy programs Butler says connecting with kids is paramount for any change.
“It really is up to us to really connect with them and establish trusting relationships,” said Butler.
Teaming up with Crimestoppers, the New Orleans Police Department released a PSA about gun safety. The department is also holding free gun safety classes across the city. Officers are even handing out free gun safety kits which Brewer says can help if a gun is stolen.
“Safely storing them and storing them with just using this one mechanism can prevent and reduce gun violence in the community,” said Brewer.
Those kits are available for free at any police district. The department will also hold more safety classes, the dates haven’t been determined yet.